Cooke, Arnold William (Sergeant)

Killed in Flying Accident 1942-August-10

Sergeant Arnold William Cooke RCAF

Birth Date: 1917-May-20

Born: Montreal Quebec

Parents: Alfred & Sarah Elizabeth Cooke

Spouse:

Home: St Lambert, Quebec (parents)

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: unkown date

Service

RCAF

Unit

31 OTU- Operational Training Unit (RAF)

Base

RCAF Stn. Debert, Nova Scotia

Rank

Sergeant

Position

Wireless Air Gunner

Service Numbers

R/108285

Home
Google MapSt Lambert, Quebec (parents)
Final Burial
Google MapMount Royal Cemetery
Sec G943 Grave 354

Took off from Debert NS on a routine night training flight.

Just after midnight, in dark and fog, the plane struck the south side of Dalhousie Mountain and disintegrated.

Killed: includes Cooke: Pilot Officer John Kenneth Hobson RCAF J/11647 KIA Woodlawn Cemetery Saskatoon Block 88. Lot 19. Grave 10956. Pilot Officer Paul Amos Rogers RCAF J/15115 KIA Edmonton Cemetery, Alberta Block 89. Sub. Div. L. Grave 1. Sergeant Howard James Vincent RCAF R/98849 KIA Canora Cemetery, Canora, Saskatchewan. Pilot Officer John Alan Bursall RAAF KIA Terrace Hill Cemetery Truro NS Plot 379. Grave 3.

Canada Source Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Commonwealth War Grave Commission Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Find-A-Grave Finadagrave.com

Canada Primary Source Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

Crew or Other Personnel

Hudson BW401

Pilot Officer J A Bursill RAAF

Pilot Officer Bursill, J A (RAAF)

Killed in Flying Accident
1942-August-10
cemetery unknown

Sergeant Arnold William Cooke RCAF

Sergeant Cooke, Arnold William (RCAF)
Wireless Air Gunner
Killed in Flying Accident
1942-August-10
Mount Royal Cemetery, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Pilot Officer John Kenneth Hobson RCAF

Pilot Officer Hobson, John Kenneth (RCAF)
Observer
Killed in Flying Accident
1942-August-10
Woodlawn Cemetery Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

Pilot Officer Paul Amos Rogers RCAF

Pilot Officer Rogers, Paul Amos (RCAF)
Observer
Killed in Flying Accident
1942-August-10
Edmonton Cemetery, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Sergeant Howard James Vincent RCAF

Sergeant Vincent, Howard James (RCAF)
Air Gunner
Killed in Flying Accident
1942-August-10
Canora Cemetery, Canora, Saskatchewan, Canada

Accident Card - Lockheed Hudson Mk. III serial:BW401

This accident involved 1 aircraft on 1942-August-10. Hudson III s/n BW401.

This accident involved 5 people. Bursill JA, Cooke AW, Hobson JK, Rogers PA, Vincent HJ

This accident had 5 fatalities. Pilot Officer John Kenneth Hobson RCAF Killed in Flying Accident service no:J/11647 Hudson BW401, Sergeant Howard James Vincent RCAF Killed in Flying Accident service no:R/98849 Hudson BW401, Pilot Officer Paul Amos Rogers RCAF Killed in Flying Accident service no:J/15115 Hudson BW401, Sergeant Arnold William Cooke RCAF Killed in Flying Accident service no:R/108285 Hudson BW401, Pilot Officer J A Bursill RAAF Killed in Flying Accident service no: Hudson BW401

Unit Desciption

31 OTU (31 Operational Training Unit)

The Operational Training Unit (OTU) was the last stop for aircrew trainees. They spent 8 to 14 weeks learning to fly operational aircraft (Hawker Hurricane or Fairey Swordfish, e.g.). The instructors had experience in actual operations, and often were posted to OTUs after their operational tour.
Lockheed Hudson
More information on the RCAF Station at Debert, Nova Scotia can be found at

Royal Air Force RCAF.info - Debert, Nova Scotia

Unvetted Source History 31 OTU by Maj (Ret) G.D. Madigan

Unvetted Source Wall Of Honour NO31 OTU

Project 44 BCATP

Unvetted Source Project 44 BCATP

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